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Friday, July 17, 2015

Vatican City, 17 July 2015 (VIS) –
Pope Francis has sent a message to Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah
Turkson, president of the Pontifical Council “Justice and Peace”,
to be communicated to the representatives of communities affected by
mining activities participating in the meeting “United with God, we
hear a cry”, organised by the same dicastery in collaboration with
the Latin American “Churches and Mining” network.

“You come from difficult situations
and in various ways you experience the repercussions of mining
activities, whether they be conducted by large industrial companies,
small enterprises or informal operators. You have chosen to gather in
Rome on this day of reflection that recalls a passage from the
Apostolic Exhortation 'Evangelii gaudium', to echo the cry of the
many people, families and communities who suffer directly and
indirectly as a result of the consequences, too often negative, of
mining activities. A cry for lost land; a cry for the extraction of
wealth from land that paradoxically does not produce wealth for the
local populations who remain poor; a cry of pain in reaction to
violence, threats and corruption; a cry of indignation and for help
for the violations of human rights, blatantly or discreetly trampled
with regard to the health of populations, working conditions, and at
times the slavery and human trafficking that feeds the tragic
phenomenon of prostitution; a cry of sadness and impotence for the
contamination of the water, the air and the land; a cry of
incomprehension for the absence for inclusive processes or support
from the civil, local and national authorities, which have the
fundamental duty to promote the common good.

“Minerals and, in general the wealth
of the earth, of the soil and underground, constitute a precious gift
from God that humanity has used for thousands of years. Indeed,
minerals are fundamental to many sectors of human life and activity.
In the Encyclical 'Laudati si'' I wished to make an urgent appeal for
collaboration in the care of our common home, countering the dramatic
consequences of environmental degradation in the life of the poorest
and the excluded, advancing towards an integral, inclusive and
sustainable development. The entire mining sector is undoubtedly
required to effect a radical paradigm change to improve the situation
in many countries. A contribution can be made by the governments of
the countries of origin of multinational companies and those in which
they operate, businesses and investors, the local authorities who
supervise mining operations, workers and their representatives, the
international supply chains with their various intermediaries and
those who work in the markets of these materials, and the consumers
of goods for whose production the minerals are required. All these
people are called upon to adopt behaviour inspired by the fact that
we constitute a single human family, “that everything is
interconnected, and that genuine care for our own lives and our
relationships with nature is inseparable from fraternity, justice and
faithfulness to others.

“I encourage the communities
represented in this meeting to reflect on how they can interact
constructively with all the other actors involved, in a sincere and
respectful dialogue. I hope that this occasion may contribute to a
greater awareness of and responsibility towards these themes: and that, based
on human dignity, the culture necessary for facing the current crisis
may be created. I pray to the Lord that your work in these days be
fruitful, and that these fruits can be shared with all those in need.
I ask you, please, to pray for me and with affection I bless you,
your communities and your families”.